13 Days Grand Morocco: Self-Launched Casablanca to Marrakech
13 days · Morocco
Tilila Travel charges £2,320
No-markup version: ~£1,330 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Tilila Travel's 13-day Grand Morocco loop — Casablanca, Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fes, Meknes, the Middle Atlas, the Sahara at Erg Chebbi, Todra Gorge, the Dades/M'goun Valley, Ait Benhaddou and Marrakech. Instead of a private driver and guide, you'll use Morocco's excellent CTM/Supratours coaches, shared grand taxis, the overnight option via Fes, and locally bookable guides and desert camps. All the headline experiences stay: Hassan II Mosque, the Chefchaouen medina, Fes el-Bali, a Sahara camel trek and Berber camp night, the Todra Gorge walk, a M'goun Valley hike, Ait Benhaddou at sunset and Jemaa el-Fna by night. Costs are rough backpacker/mid-range estimates in GBP per person, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Casablanca — Hassan II Mosque & Corniche
Casablanca
Land at Mohammed V Airport and take the ONCF train from the airport station into Casablanca (Casa Voyageurs or Casa Port), roughly £3-4, about 40 minutes. Check into a budget hotel or hostel near the old medina or Gauthier. In the afternoon head to the Hassan II Mosque — the guided interior tour runs several times daily for about £11-12 (book on arrival or via the mosque's own ticket office). Walk the Corniche at sunset, then dinner of grilled sardines and harira in the Habous or old medina quarter for £6-8.
🚌Airport train ~£4; walking and petit taxis (£1-2 per hop)
🛏Budget hotel/hostel in central Casablanca (e.g. around Gauthier or the medina), £15-25
- →Hassan II Mosque guided interior tour (~£12)
- →Corniche sunset walk
- →Old medina and Habous quarter wander
Casablanca to Rabat — Kasbah of the Udayas & Mausoleum
Rabat to Chefchaouen
Take a morning ONCF train from Casablanca to Rabat (about 1 hour, £3-4). Drop bags and walk the medina: the Kasbah of the Udayas (free), the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and Hassan Tower (free), and the Andalusian gardens. Aim to be back at Rabat Ville station by mid-afternoon for the coach north to Chefchaouen — CTM/Supratours run via Tangier or direct depending on season; expect 4-5 hours and £9-14. Arrive Chefchaouen in the evening, check into a riad-style guesthouse and eat tagine on Place Outa el Hammam (£6-8).
🚌Train Casablanca–Rabat ~£4; coach Rabat–Chefchaouen £9-14
🛏Guesthouse/riad in Chefchaouen medina, £18-28
- →Kasbah of the Udayas
- →Mausoleum of Mohammed V & Hassan Tower
- →Rabat medina stroll
Chefchaouen — Blue City at leisure, then to Fes
Chefchaouen to Fes
Spend the morning in the blue medina: climb to the Spanish Mosque for the classic viewpoint (free, 20-30 min walk), visit the Alcazaba (about £1), the White Mosque and Place el Haouta, and browse the wool-dyeing shops. Catch an afternoon CTM/Supratours coach to Fes — around 4 hours, £8-12. In Fes, settle into a medina riad; evenings in Fes el-Bali are atmospheric and quiet.
🚌Coach Chefchaouen–Fes ~£10 (4 hrs); petit taxis in Fes £1-2
🛏Riad/guesthouse inside Fes el-Bali, £18-28
- →Spanish Mosque viewpoint hike
- →Alcazaba of Chefchaouen
- →Blue medina photo walk
Fes el-Bali — medina, madrasas and tanneries
Fes
Hire a licensed medina guide for a half day (roughly £25-35 total, or join a small-group walking tour via GetYourGuide for £15-20 per person) — Fes el-Bali is genuinely maze-like and a guide pays for itself. See Bab Bou Jeloud (Blue Gate), Bou Inania Madrasa (£2), the Al-Qarawiyyin area, the Chouara tanneries (view from a terrace, small tip expected), El Glaoui Palace and Dar Batha Museum. Afternoon: climb to the Marinid Tombs for sunset views over the city (free).
🚌Walking; petit taxis £1-2
🛏Riad/guesthouse inside Fes el-Bali, £18-28
- →Half-day licensed medina guide (~£15-20 pp shared)
- →Bou Inania Madrasa
- →Chouara tanneries viewpoint
- →Marinid Tombs sunset
Meknes day trip — Bab Mansour, Moulay Ismail & Volubilis option
Meknes / Volubilis (from Fes)
Take the train from Fes to Meknes (about 45 minutes, £2-3) and explore on foot: Bab Mansour, El Hedim Square, the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail (free), the granaries of Heri es-Souani, and the Dar Jamai Museum (£3). If you have energy, a shared grand taxi to the Roman ruins of Volubilis (about 30 minutes, £3-5 each way; site entry ~£6) makes a great afternoon — much of the mosaic work is still in situ. Return to Fes by early evening train.
🚌Train Fes–Meknes £2-3 each way; grand taxi to Volubilis £3-5 each way
🛏Riad/guesthouse inside Fes el-Bali, £18-28
- →Bab Mansour & El Hedim Square
- →Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail
- →Volubilis Roman ruins (~£6 entry)
- →Dar Jamai Museum
Over the Middle Atlas to Midelt
Midelt
Take a CTM/Supratours coach from Fes towards Midelt/Errachidia (check the CTM timetable the day before; roughly 4-5 hours, £9-13). Midelt is an apple-growing town at around 1,500m under the High Atlas — a functional but pleasant overnight that sets you up for the desert. In the afternoon walk into the hills above town for an easy 1-2 hour hike with big mountain views (free, self-guided; stick to obvious tracks). Dinner at a local guesthouse, often a set menu for £6-8.
🚌Coach Fes–Midelt £9-13
🛏Guesthouse/villa in Midelt, £18-28
- →Self-guided afternoon hill walk above Midelt
- →Sunset over the High Atlas foothills
Into the Sahara — camel trek and Berber camp at Erg Chebbi
Merzouga
Continue by coach or shared grand taxi from Midelt to Merzouga/Rissani (about 3-4 hours; coach £7-10 or shared taxi £8-12 per person). Book a desert camp package directly — standard camps run £35-55 per person including camel ride in, dinner, drumming and breakfast; a mid-range 'luxury' tent camp like the operator uses is £55-80. Ride out on camels in the late afternoon, walk the dunes of Erg Chebbi for sunset, then eat tagine and listen to Berber music under the stars. Bring a headtorch, warm layer and cash.
🚌Coach/shared taxi Midelt–Merzouga £7-12
🛏Desert camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes (standard tent £35-55 pp including meals)
- →Camel trek into Erg Chebbi
- →Sunset on the dunes
- →Berber camp dinner and music
Sunrise in the dunes, then Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley
Todra Gorge / Dades Valley
Wake for sunrise on the dunes and camel or 4x4 back to Merzouga village for breakfast. Then head west: shared grand taxis or a shared minivan run Merzouga–Tinejdad–Todra (£8-12 per person, about 3 hours). Walk the Todra Gorge canyon floor — free and spectacular, with the option of a short via-ferrata or scrambling detour. Continue to the Dades Valley by shared taxi (£4-6) in the late afternoon. Overnight in a valley guesthouse.
🚌Shared taxi/minivan Merzouga–Todra £8-12; Todra–Dades £4-6
🛏Guesthouse in the Dades/M'goun valley, £18-25
- →Sahara sunrise
- →Todra Gorge canyon walk
- →Dades Valley viewpoints
M'goun Valley hike and Rose Valley
Dades / M'goun Valley
Do the valley walk the private tour includes as a self-guided or locally guided hike: around 10km through Berber villages, terraced fields and walnut groves along the M'goun river. A local guide can be hired in the village or through your guesthouse for roughly £20-30 for the day, which is well worth it for navigation and village access. Alternatively, walk the marked valley trail independently and take a picnic. Late afternoon, visit the Rose Valley near Kelaat M'Gouna (bus or shared taxi £2-3) if you're here in May for the rose harvest.
🚌Walking; local shared taxi to Rose Valley £2-3
🛏Guesthouse in the Dades/M'goun valley, £18-25
- →~10km M'goun Valley hike (local guide ~£20-30/day)
- →Berber village visit
- →Rose Valley (seasonal)
Skoura palm oasis and Ait Benhaddou at sunset
Skoura / Ait Benhaddou
Take a shared taxi or CTM coach from the Dades Valley to Kelaat M'Gouna and on through Skoura (£8-12 total). Stop to see Kasbah Amridil in the Skoura palm oasis (entry about £2-3). Continue by shared grand taxi to Ait Benhaddou (£5-8), the UNESCO ksar used in countless films. Entry to the ksar is free; climb to the old granary at the top for sunset, then sleep in a village guesthouse. Many guesthouses serve dinner for £7-9.
🚌Shared taxi/coach Dades–Skoura–Ait Benhaddou £13-20
🛏Guesthouse in Ait Benhaddou village, £15-25
- →Kasbah Amridil, Skoura (~£3)
- →Walk through the Ait Benhaddou ksar
- →Sunset from the granary
Over the Tizi n'Tichka to Marrakech — Jemaa el-Fna by night
Marrakech
Take a shared grand taxi or coach from Ait Benhaddou to Ouarzazate (£3-5), then the CTM/Supratours coach over the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Marrakech (about 4 hours, £8-12). Check into a riad in the medina. In the evening dive into Jemaa el-Fna: try the food stalls (harira, grilled brochettes, snails, orange juice) for £6-9 total, and watch the storytellers and musicians before wandering the souks.
🚌Grand taxi Ait Benhaddou–Ouarzazate £3-5; coach Ouarzazate–Marrakech £8-12
🛏Riad/guesthouse in the Marrakech medina, £20-35
- →Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass
- →Jemaa el-Fna street food dinner
- →Medina souk evening wander
Marrakech — Bahia Palace, medina tour and Majorelle option
Marrakech
Book a small-group medina walking tour via GetYourGuide (£15-20 pp) or explore independently. Must-sees: Bahia Palace (£6), the Marrakech Museum in the Dar Menebhi palace (£4), Koutoubia Mosque gardens (free), and the Ben Youssef Madrasa (£6). In the afternoon, either visit the Majorelle Garden and YSL Museum (£13-16 combined, book ahead online to skip queues) or the El Badi Palace ruins (£6). Finish with mint tea on a rooftop overlooking the medina.
🚌Walking; petit taxis £1-2
🛏Riad/guesthouse in the Marrakech medina, £20-35
- →Bahia Palace
- →Marrakech Museum & Ben Youssef Madrasa
- →Majorelle Garden / El Badi Palace
- →Optional medina walking tour ~£18
Marrakech — souks, hammam and departure
Marrakech
Morning for last souk shopping in the Semmarine souks, a budget hammam (£8-15 for a scrub), or the Saadian Tombs (£6). Depart from Marrakech Menara Airport (bus 19 into town is £3, taxi £12-15), or if you need to fly from Casablanca, take the ONCF train Marrakech–Casablanca (about 3 hours, £9-12) and the airport train onward.
🚌Airport bus ~£3 / taxi £12-15; or train to Casablanca £9-12 plus airport train £4
🛏None (departure day) — or one extra night in a riad £20-35
- →Souk shopping
- →Budget hammam
- →Saadian Tombs (optional)
Self-launched vs. Tilila Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Tilila Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,330 | £2,320 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £990 per person (43%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Tilila Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,330
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does 13 Days Grand Morocco: Self-Launched Casablanca to Marrakech cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,330 per person for 13 days in Morocco. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Tilila Travel?+
Yes — Tilila Travel charges around £2,320 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,330 — a saving of roughly £990 (43%) per person.
How long is the Morocco trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 day-by-day stops through Morocco.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Morocco, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.